Page 122 of Due Dilligence (Takeover)
Completely shattered, as Eli had said.
But there was work, and even though reading those names in the e-mails—Nathan, Stephen, Todd—made him tremble, he managed to get through and sign off a hefty stack of procedures. A good day’s worth of work.
The office was pretty silent when Fazil locked his screen to go home. It was after six, which meant three in Seattle.
Todd. He’d have to talk to him tonight. Tell him.Shit. He rose from his seat and then caught himself on the desk’s edge when the room tunneled.
Whoa.
Todd’s words came back to him.Do you do this often? Not eat?Guess he did. Time to go home and figure out food. As he made his way to the front of the office, he was surprised to see Eli, but no Justin. He rapped on Eli’s doorframe. “Working late?”
Eli swung his chair around. “No. Checking up on you.”
Oh.“That’s a little creepy, Eli.”
He snorted. “I’d like to think I know you well enough to be concerned.”
“I’m...” But he wasn’t fine. “Okay. But I can take care...” Eli raised an eyebrow. “When the hell did you become the office mom?”
Eli shrugged. “I have no idea, and I’m the worst person for the job, I admit. But here I am.”
Fazil struggled against his impulse to be angry and the desire to laugh. He plodded into Eli’s office and flopped into a chair by the guest table in the center of the room. “I’m really fucked up, Eli.”
“Aren’t we all?”
“I’m not kidding.”
Eli’s smile was small but heartening. “Neither am I.” He waved his hand to encompass the office. “We’re not the normal crowd of people.”
No, they weren’t. “That’s why I love it here.” Open, accepting, creative. “I don’t want to work anywhere else.”
“Even if it means losing Todd?”
He stared at Eli. There was no judgment there, no anger or sorrow, only curiosity.
He swallowed. “If I go there and leave this, I’ll resent him. I know I will. There’s nothing like this job in Seattle. There’s nothing like it anywhere else.” Moisture pricked at his eyes. “Either way, I lose him. It’s better to stay here and let him be free.” He clamped his mouth shut, because he was not about to turn into a sobbing mess in front of Eli.
Eli looked down at the carpet, his own face lined with grief. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t say it.”
Eli met his gaze. “That you two are good together?”
Fucking bastard.“Yes.” He pushed the word out through gritted teeth.
“You are.” Eli rose and collected his cane. “It’s the truth.”
Fazil rose as well, to the same tunneling effect as before. Eli was there in a flash, lowering him into the chair. “Fuck,” Fazil whispered. “Light-headed.”
“Goddamned men. Why are we so impossible?” Eli thudded his cane on the carpet. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” With that, he was out the door and heading to the back of the office.
Fazil blinked a few times. Sitting might not be such a bad idea.
Eli reappeared and handed him a bottle of orange juice. “Drink this.”
He wouldn’t argue with Eli, not when he was wearing his you-so-do-not-want-to-challenge-me expression. Fazil took the bottle, cracked it open, and drank.
“Tomorrow,” Eli said, “you’re going to lunch with us.”
